Took the IS on a 300 mile round trip yesterday, longest drive so far. GPS estimated 3hrs plus, but cruising at 80-90 mph for most of the drive on the PA turnpike, we were there in 2 hrs and 15 minutes. Car was very comfortable at speed--90 mph felt like 60 mph.

Anyway, the next day I look at the front-end of the car and I was amazed--there must have been 500 bugs whose fate was sealed the moment they struck the front end of the IS. What a mess, it was like the flat part of the bumper just acted as a piece of flypaper.

At first I thought this is going to be a pain to remove all those bugs, but I remembered a detailing trick I had learned years ago. You simply take a few tablespoons of baking soda, dissolve it in really hot water, and then pat all the areas covered with bugs. Let it sit for a few minutes ( the baking soda helps to loosen and dissolve the bugs) and then just wipe away with a damp rag. If it dries, rewet before wiping off. Then rinse off with water. Very easy.

 

Same thing happened with me. I looked and thought I ripped my clear bra with rocks/pebbles from driving. Turns out that they were all little bugs on the bumper, and I took it in for a wash.

It was a week after some rain here in SoCal, and I think the extra rain helped spawn a few more bugs than expected. Thank God I didn't go riding on my bike today...

 

is the banking soda bad for the paint or clear bra?!?!?!?!

 

I wish I'd of read this tip a couple of hours ago. My nice clean car went to the store and got bombarded with Love Bugs - we get them here in May and again in September. Little black flying bugs with two attached to each other (hence the name). Anyway in a matter of seconds your car can be covered with their gunk and you can't hardly see out the window. Well, they were a royal pain to clean off, so if it happens again, I will try your solution. Thanks!

 

When dry or partially wet, baking soda has a mild abrasive quality so you want to make sure that it is fully dissolved--pat it on with a wet rag--don't rub it back and forth. And don't wipe off when dry, rinse it off and use a wet rag to help remove the bugs. The bugs should come off pretty easily, with only one or two wipes..

If you are still not comfortable try it on an inconspicuous part of the car like the underside of a trunk lid--or try it on one of your other cars. I just did mine and it came out fine.

As far as using it on clear bras, plastic is softer so if it is put on dry or partially wet, I suppose it could create a haze (very fine scratching--sort of like using dry paper towels to clean a convertible plastic window (I'm guessing here). Anyway hope this helps.

 

tell me about bro everyday after i take the car out i clena the front end with a nice mist wax.. . Hopefully I will be getting that clear bra here in the next few weeks.. I think they like PDW colored cars...LOL

 

could you just use wax on the front end...so it repels?

 

Those Love-Bugs are a pain in the butt. I picked up a bunch of them last night on my way back from my parents, this is after about 90 miles of driving. The first 20 it was raining, than it turned into Love-Bug fog. Had to pull off and clean the windshield. Here's what she looked like. I used some bug cleaner that I got at Autozone and the pressure washer at the local car wash came right off. Also helped that I waxed it this weekend.

 

Ewww...

 

dude....now that's a bug bath....high pressure hose may not clean that off. I thought it was just dirt.....can you imagine riding a motorcycle.....

 

Was that up 75 from Ft. Myers to Tampa area?

Some stretches of that highway, especially between Sarasota and Ft. Myers are just horrible. Those love bugs are such a huge *** pain.

When are they going away?

 

Yep was about 30 miles north of Ft. Myers when it got really bad. I cleaned them off right after I got home.

 

Wow.... that's a LOT of bugs....

 

Isn't baking soda abrasive? Man, I don't think I'd be putting that on my paint.

I use a car wash solution and if that won't get it off then I'll use a non-abrasive paint cleaner.

 

Just one of the hazards of living in PARADISE that isn't shown in the tourist brochures Who would come here if they showed that picture on the front of the brochure.